How to Successfully Grow Your Business in 2016

The beginning of the year is the time when most people make resolutions, vow to start fresh, and set goals for the the year. While many of these resolutions are personal in nature, it is also the perfect time to consider business resolutions.

With the final quarter having wrapped up in December, January not only represents a new beginning in the philosophical sense, but also in the physical sense. Reviewing the past years growth and statistics can help you create goals and strategies for 2016.

Here are a few ways to boost your business and watch it flourish in 2016:

Set Goals

One of the first things you can do to start the year off right is to create a list of business goals, including goals for each quarter and the year as a whole. Be specific when it comes to choosing your goals, as the only way you know you will have achieved them is if you can measure them. Vague goals are difficult to quantify, for there is so set precedent to exceed or match. Moreover, the more clear and concise your goals are, the easier it will be for you to find specific ways to meet them. For instance, instead of saying you hope to “grow your customer base,” say how you intend to grow your customer base, such as “grow customer base through email.” Now you have a quantifiable way to measure your success.

Build Relationships

Use 2016 as the year to build on your existing business relationships. Who did you meet with in 2015? Who did you work with? Are there companies or distributor incentive programs you would like to work with or join? Reach out to those who you met with in the previous year and begin working on functions or collaborations for 2016. It is never too early to make plans regarding the current year, as the calendar can fill up quickly, especially in terms of working with other companies.

Evaluate Performance

The beginning of the year is the prime time to evaluate performance—performance of employees, performance of past campaigns, and performance of yourself. Determining what worked and what failed in the past year can help you make the calculated and necessary changes for this current year. If certain marketing campaigns did well, consider utilizing them again for the next year. Conversely, if certain campaigns tanked, understand why in order to avoid making the same mistakes this year. If employees did not meet their numbers or struggled in certain areas, set up a meeting with them in order to nail down what the trouble was. Did you perform to the best of your ability? Could you have been more communicative?

All businesses will have weak points and strong points. Recognizing where those points are with your business can help you to regroup and refocus for this year.

Give Employees More Responsibility

Whether this is the second year of your business or the fifth, with each passing year of success you can slowly relinquish some of the day-to-day responsibilities into the hands of capable employees. Delegating tasks can be challenging, especially if you are a Type A personality. However, the more you can delegate, the more time you have to dedicate to other areas of business. Because the daily responsibilities can be incredibly time-consuming, being able to focus on more important business matters can help your business begin to grow to new heights.

Customers

What truly makes a business successful is the customers and clients who come back day after day. Many businesses make the mistake of not focusing enough on their customers, which can come back to haunt them. Think of ways you can reach your customers this year. What can you offer them to keep them loyal to your company for another year.

Integrate Technology

Start integrating technology more into your business. With each passing year, technology becomes more and more important in the world and with consumers. Let 2016 be the year you integrate technology into the office and into your business model by creating a mobile app, creating a website, honing in on social media marketing, and adding more online security to your business.

Using these tips can help your business to achieve optimal growth in 2016.